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Juvenile Diabetes

Tackling the Diagnosis as a Family

By Renee Roberson

"I have had a great experience with my daughter's school," Rahfaldt says. "They check her blood sugar every day at lunch and call when a reading is above or below a certain number. If they think she is low or high during the day, they go ahead and double-check her levels then, too. My daughter actually checks her own sugar and the teacher supervises."

Rahfaldt also points out that living with a diabetic child is a challenge. "I worry all the time," she says. "I am trying to teach her to be humble about the disease and that it's just a part of who she is. It breaks my heart when she tells me that all she wants is to find a cure."

Scarsi knows that for children, receiving a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes can be intimidating and scary. That's why the "Lights, Camera, Cure" project actually has youth advocates living with the illness helping to explain and demonstrate the ins and outs of the illness to the attendees. "With well-controlled diabetes, they're going to live a healthy lifetime," she says. "I encourage parents to remain in an active role in their children's lives at all times."

We are the best advocate for our children and it is important that they see you fight for them. This way they learn to fight for themselves, Schaffer says. "These kids are strong, brave and smart but they are only human and they need a break once in a while," she says. "Above all they are kids first and people with diabetes second."